Urwerk Introduces the UR-120 “Spock”
Having invented the satellite-cube hour indicator, Urwerk is undoubtedly leading practitioner of contemporary watchmaking. But the brand has continue to tweak its unconventional time displays, including the most recent swivelling-prism hours within a glass cylinder. Now the brand has gone back to its roots while simultaneously innovating. The UR-120 “Spock” is a novel take on its signature wandering hours that has the familiar triple satellites on a carousel, but each satellite is actually a pair of cubes that sequentially split, rotate, and converge in order to display the hours. Initial thoughts Credit goes to Urwerk for continuing to innovate with its avant-garde displays. The newest invention retains the recognisable Urwerk look and feel but creates a more dynamic visual display with the splitting and joining motions. The two-part hour cube is clever, though not entirely new. It reminds me of the Harry Winston Opus Eleven, a far more complex interpretation of the concept that relied on four panels to display each hour numeral – one so complex the watch never made it to market. While the two-part cube display is new, the rest of the movement is similar to the UR-110, resulting in similar overall aesthetics. Though unorthodox in style, the UR-120 has a clean styling that makes it legible, though it might take some getting used to when reading the time. One criticism of the dial design concerns the nickel alloy parts produced via the LIGA photolithography tech...
Time+Tide
